Birth

Whether you are planning a home waterbirth or an elective caesarean, positive birth is all about feeling prepared, calm and in control. Our expert articles will help you to understand your options enabling you to feel in control of your birth, however it may happen.

VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean)

Most couples, regardless of whether they’ve had a baby before or not, have some concerns about labour and birth, of course. Those planning a VBAC often have increased anxiety and doubts.

The flag that’s raised is concern over uterine rupture. It’s worth quickly mentioning that this can happen at any birth, and the risk is increased if syntocinon (synthetic oxytocin) is used to augment (speed-up) labour.

Birthing a Predicted Big Baby

When it comes to giving birth to a large baby society seems to think that it is always difficult, painful and potentially dangerous, but actually many midwives believe that the best way to give birth to a large baby is to be as ‘hands off’ as possible, letting nature take its course and allowing labouring mothers to move around freely and adopt positions such as squatting and being on fours which increases the size of the pelvic outlet, helping the baby to birth easily.

Fear and Anxiety Around Birth

Not many of us are exposed to labour and birth as part of growing-up anymore as most births take place away from home. We don’t have that awareness to draw upon. The stories women hear from other women about their birth experiences are often negative. On forums it seems that when a woman asks a question, there will be those who leap in with dramatic accounts of their personal experience.

Staying at Home in Early Labour

You will probably come to realise that this stage can go on for quite some time. You may gradually notice that contractions are taking up more of your attention but often you’ll actually be able to carry on pretty much as normal, using everyday coping strategies to deal with them. At this point you should try to rest, have a bath and sleep – this stage usually isn’t high drama like we see in films and on television!

Rhesus Factor and Anti-D Prophylaxis

Anti-D is given as an injection and is made from blood plasma collected from blood donors. It works by destroying any rhesus positive blood from the baby present in the mother’s circulation before she can make her own antibodies, hence why it is important that it is administered promptly, within 72 hours, of any suspected potentially sensitising event.

Choosing a Homebirth

Did you know that having a homebirth is said to be statistically as safe, if not safer, than hospital births for low risk cases? It Is also less likely to result in the usage of pharmaceutical medication, intervention and Caesarean section.

The Four Biggies for Dads/Partners at the Birth

Most fathers/partners are strangers to the birth environment. Additionally, they typically have had little if any opportunity to prepare for it. In my opinion, this is society’s responsibility and we all need to raise our game in the support of new families during this crucial time of family foundation building and bonding.

Creating a Positive Birthing Environment

Always remember you can make most birth environments as birth friendly as possible, whatever and wherever your original plans, it is almost always possible to retain some control over your birth environment.

Use your BRAINS for a Better Birth

One of the keys to a more positive birth experience is feeling as in control as possible. Feeling as if you have been involved in any decision making can leave you feeling more empowered and more at peace with your experience, however your baby is born. The following acronym allows you to question any element of your care and empowers you and your birthpartner to make informed choices. It can be applied to almost any situation.